Primary pneumatic-valve in mechanism for playing musical instruments.



No. 728,966. 4 YEATENTED'MAY 26, 1903-. R. W. PAIN. PRIMARY PNEUMATIC VALVE IN MECHANISM FUR PLAYING MUSIGAL INSTRUMENTS; APYLIOATION FILED APR. 21, 1902.

' 10 MODEL. I

E l I" g HI 5 ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES Patented May 26, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT WILLIARD PAIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE AEOLIAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

PRIMARY PNEUMATIC-VALVE IN MECHANISM FOR PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 728,966, dated May 26, 1903.

Application filed April 21. 1902- all whom it may concern:

Be it known that. L'Ronnn'r WILLIARD PAIN, of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Primary Pneumatic-Valves in Mechanism for Playing Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

I will describe a mechanism embodying my to improvement, and then point out the novel features in the claims, premising that the improvement may be embodied in that mechanism of an automatic instrument which renders it automatic orin mechanism constructed for operating the keys of any keyboard musical instrument. v

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of a mechanism embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a lonzo gitudinal elevation showing certain parts of the mechanism. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1,but it is on a larger scaleand shows fewer parts. Fig. 4is an elevation corresponding to Fig. 2, but showing fewer parts than Fig. 2 and made on the same scale as Fig. 3.

A designates the case of a mechanism for operating upon the keys of any keyboard instrument. It may be of any material and construction. It comprises a number of strikers B for extending over the keys of a keyboard musical instrument, and these strikers are shown. as consisting of levers fulcrumed between theirends upon a pin or pins b and pivotally connected at their rear ends with 5 rods b, extending down to pneumatic-motors 0 C which are shown as of bellows-like construction, having their movable boards connected to the lower ends of therods I). These pneumatic-motors communicate with a wind- 0 chest D, (which preferably will be air-rarefied by foot-bellows;) but this communication is under control of valves E E operating in conjunction with ducts e, leading to the interior of the pneumatic-motors 0 C The 5 pneumatic-motors C (l are of the same character, and the entire number of these pneumatic-motors are arranged in two sets simply to enable them to be staggered for the purpose of economizing space widthwise of the no case A.

Serial No. 108,880. (No model) The valves E E are affixed to a stem E, made in the form of a rod and the rods actuated by primary pneumatics F, which, as here shown, consist of small chambers f, covered by flexible diaphragms f upon the side which is toward the wind-chest D. The rods E are here shown as being disconnected from the pneumatics F. Ducts G extend from the chamberf of the pneumatics F and communicate by means of flexible tubes g, preferably made of soft rubber or a like material, with ducts in a tracker-board H. Of course it will be understood that for each striker B there is to be a single pneumatic-motor C, a single duct 6, a single pair of valves E E and a single pneumatic F, communicating with a single duct of the tracker-board H.

A perforated music-sheet I serves as a valve for controlling the admission of atmospheric air to the ducts of the tracker=board H, and such music-sheet will be of ordinary construction and wound upon a music-roll .l" and a take-up roll J in the ordinary manner. 7

Whenever air is admitted to one of the ducts of the tracker-board H, the corresponding pneumatic F is expanded, and the valves E E are so shifted as to open communication between the wind-chest D and the duct e corresponding to that pneumatic F. At the same time the valve E will be made to close a pas- 8o sage e, which, as shown, is formed in a cap e and establishes communication between the ducts e and the outside atmosphere whenever the valve E is opened. As soon as the air is cut off from a duct of the tracker-board H the correspondingpneumatic F will be collapsed,

as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, and the valves E E will be adjusted in the positions which they occupy in said figures, so as to cut off communication between the corresponding'go ducts Mind the wind-chest D and open communication between that duct e and the out- I side atmosphere.

The present improvement relates to primary pneumatics and their conoomitants. It 5 will be seen that all these parts are so arranged that the valve-stem E is horizontal instead of vertical and is sustained by downwardly-extendingsnpperts K K Thesesup- I ports, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, may I00 consist of flat pieces of spring metal fixedly secured in some suitable manner at one of their ends to a fixed part of the mechanismas, for example, by screws k The valve-rod E, which is here shown as screw-threaded, passes through the supports K K and the latter are secured in proper relation to it by means of nuts or friction-tight washers Only one washer It need be used in connection with the support K By adjusting'these washers on the stem E the tension of the supports may be varied.

By the simple constructions which have been described the valves E E of the primary pneumatics F are made more uniform in their operation, because their gravities never oppose themselves to the movements of which these valves are capable. It will be observed from the drawings that two spring-supports K K are provided for each valve-rod E. By

supporting the valve-rod in this way the valve is always permitted to seat squarely, due to the fact that in any position of the valve-rod the same is parallel with any other position that is to say, the'rneans of support hold the valve-rod in any position in a right line with respect 'to the valve-seat. The arrangement of'the pneumatics F, as well as the valves E E in vertical planes also relieves these pneumatics of the weight of any of their concomi tant parts during movement of these pneumatics in either direction. By adjusting the washers k on the valve-rod to slightlybow the supports the supports K, K will have the functions of springs to act upon the valves E E so that the valves E will always be seated. For example, the washers k may be adjusted on the rod to such position that the support K will normally act to seat the valve E. Therefore when the pneumatic F is actuated to unseat the valve E and to seat the valve E both supports will be under tension and both will act upon the rod E to cause the valve E to be reseated when the pneumatic F is collapsed. It is obvious that only one of the supports K K may have the function of a spring to cause a positive seating of the valve E.

It will thus be seen that according to my invention the primarypneumatics are arports 'adjustably connected to the rods.

struments, the combination of primary pneumatics arranged in vertical or approximately vertical planes, valves operated thereby and also arranged in vertical or approximately vertical planes, and means comprising springpieces for supporting these valves, one springpiece being located inside and the other outside the wind-chest.

2. In mechanism for playing musical instruments, the combination of primary pneumatics, valves operated thereby and arranged in vertical or approximately vertical planes,- a screw-threaded rod carrying said valves, spring-supports for said rod and adjustable nuts with which said spring-supports coact, one of the spring-supports and a corresponding nut for each valve being located outside 4. In mechanism fol-playing musical instruments, the combination of primarypneumatics, valve-rods actuated thereby, valves on the rods and a plurality oftlexible supports for each valve-rod.

5. In mechanism for playing musical instruments, the combination of primary pneumatics, valve-rods actuated thereby, valves on the rods and a pair of flexible supports for each valve-rod. 4

6. In mechanism for playing musical instruments, the combination of primary pneumatics arranged in vertical or approximately vertical planes, substantially horizontal valve-rods actuated by said pneumatics, vertical or approximately vertical valves carried by said rods, and means for supporting each rod to maintain a constant angular relation with respect to the valve-seat, wherehythe valve is caused to seat squarely on. its seat.

. In testimony whereof I. have signed my name to this specification in'the presence 0t two subscribing witnesses.

. ROBERT WILLIARD PAIN. Witnessesz.

W. O. MANSFIELD, CHAS. SCHWARDT. 

